Sequel: Smile for Me ›
Status: Finished :)
Give Me a Smile
Emotional Ties
It did feel nice, lying on something soft for the first time in days. The only thing I really wanted now, besides freedom, was a toothbrush. I had been washing my mouth out with the water he gave me. I lay on my back in the dark, forcing myself to stay awake until I heard his breathing settle.
Then I slipped from the bed and crept over to the door, wincing at every creak. It was locked and I sighed, leaning my head against the wood. I had to resist the urge to sob. There was a soft chuckle in the darkness and I screamed, falling backwards to the floor. The Joker was awake.
I could see him in the dark as he got up and slunk towards me, murmuring my name. “Quinn, Quinn, Quinnie. What did I tell you earlier?” He was kneeling over me, running his fingers across my scars. “That, that I shouldn’t try to, to, uh, escape.” I whimpered. “And, eh, what did ya try to do?” He whispered gently. “E-escape.”
The Joker’s hands moved to my shoulders, pushing until I was flat on my back. I could feel him lean over, far enough that his lips were to my ear. “You are MINE. You will not escape me.” His hands went to my face, stretching my lips painfully. “Smile for me, Quinn. SMILE!” He roared.
I was sobbing by then, my eyes shut tight against the darkness. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I won’t try to escape again, I swear!” Suddenly he had his arms around me, mouth in my hair. “Shh, shh, Quinn, it’s alright, you’re, uh, you’re safe. I’ll keep you safe.”
He rocked me back and forth, humming a broken lullaby. In the dark I could pretend he was someone else holding me, making me feel loved. I fell asleep on The Joker’s shoulder.
Then I slipped from the bed and crept over to the door, wincing at every creak. It was locked and I sighed, leaning my head against the wood. I had to resist the urge to sob. There was a soft chuckle in the darkness and I screamed, falling backwards to the floor. The Joker was awake.
I could see him in the dark as he got up and slunk towards me, murmuring my name. “Quinn, Quinn, Quinnie. What did I tell you earlier?” He was kneeling over me, running his fingers across my scars. “That, that I shouldn’t try to, to, uh, escape.” I whimpered. “And, eh, what did ya try to do?” He whispered gently. “E-escape.”
The Joker’s hands moved to my shoulders, pushing until I was flat on my back. I could feel him lean over, far enough that his lips were to my ear. “You are MINE. You will not escape me.” His hands went to my face, stretching my lips painfully. “Smile for me, Quinn. SMILE!” He roared.
I was sobbing by then, my eyes shut tight against the darkness. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I won’t try to escape again, I swear!” Suddenly he had his arms around me, mouth in my hair. “Shh, shh, Quinn, it’s alright, you’re, uh, you’re safe. I’ll keep you safe.”
He rocked me back and forth, humming a broken lullaby. In the dark I could pretend he was someone else holding me, making me feel loved. I fell asleep on The Joker’s shoulder.
♠ ♠ ♠
Stockholm syndrome can be seen as a form of traumatic bonding, which does not necessarily require a hostage scenario, but which describes "strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other.